The present invention relates to recording systems and more particularly to recording systems wherein a visual image of information is displayed on the screen of a cathode ray tube, and, if it is desired to record the visually displayed information, it is transferred onto a recording medium via image transfer means.
Heretofore, when it was desired to record visually displayed information from a cathode ray tube screen, the information was photographed. There are several disadvantages to photographing desired visually displayed information and these are: Cost is a factor. The camera covers the information while it is being photographed. The camera is cumbersome. It is difficult to record written information on the photograph.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,219 to Bradley is directed to a cathode ray tube which is provided with a series of light-conducting elements disposed adjacent the faceplate of a cathode ray tube. Ends of the light-conducting elements are positioned adjacent a film so that information written into the screen of the faceplate by the electron beam will be transferred via the light-conducting elements to the film for recording thereon. The information however cannot be viewed before recording so that no selection of the information can be made.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,106 to Berthold covers a faceplate of a cathode ray tube which has a photoconductive layer on a fiber optic member with electrodes along opposite edges of the photoconductive layer. Current flows through the electrodes that engage a dielectric recording medium as a function of the beam current engaging the phosphor target on the fiber optic member to transfer charges to the recording medium. No visual display of information is provided by the tube of Berthold as it is a printing tube.
Boon in U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,748 discloses a flying spot scanning cathode ray tube for reading out information line by line from a document which is reproduced on a recording medium by transferring the information via a wire array onto a recording medium. Thus, the electron beam is shared to write information and then to read the written information and visual presentation of written information is not possible in order to select what written information is to be recorded.
A thermal recording cathode ray tube is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,839 to Fujimura wherein electron beam current is used to operate an array of heat resistive members on the faceplate of the cathode ray tube so that the heat sensitive paper passing in engagement with the heat resistive members will thermally record the information being written by the electron beam onto the array of heat resistive members. No visual display of the information and subsequent recording of selected visually-displayed information is provided by Fujimura.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,259 to Allen, a cathode ray tube visually displays information via its electron beam on its phosphor screen and then directing the electron beam onto an image transfer means in the funnel section of the tube or in the faceplate to record the visually displayed information as desired. Positioning the image transfer means in the funnel section or in the faceplate makes it difficult and costly to manufacture a cathode ray tube of this type.